Chapter 2

"What's wrong?" Tessa leaned in curiously after the call ended. Bella's expression didn't change, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her. "The person giving the speech in three days got switched to you." "Me? But I didn't score as well as you, and I'm nowhere near as outstanding as you. Why would they suddenly pick me? I can't eat anymore. I need to go home and get ready!" Her eyes lit up with excitement, and she rushed out the door. Sebastian and Ronald didn't stop her, but their eyes followed her figure, overflowing with affection they couldn't hide, looking as if they wished they could chase after her that very second. Bella caught that look and said calmly, "You should go after her if you want." "What are you talking about? You're right here. Why would we follow her?" Sebastian snapped back to reality. He turned to her again with a small laugh. After a pause, he added in a soft, comforting tone, "It's just a speech slot. Don't let it get to you." "Yeah, Bella is amazing. The school's blind to replace you," Ronald chimed in. Bella tugged lightly at the corner of her mouth but said nothing. In her last life, they'd comforted her in the exact same way, yet they were the ones who arranged for her replacement. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get a word out, Sebastian and Ronald cut her off again. "Bella, we're taking you somewhere." They dragged her out mysteriously, and when they finally stopped, she found herself standing in front of a field of flowers and bright, colorful balloons. Only then did she realize they'd brought her here to profess to her. Sebastian pulled out a bouquet of white roses—no one knew where he had even gotten them—and looked at her with unmistakable affection. "Bella, you know how I've felt about you this whole time. Now, I want an answer." Not wanting to fall behind, Ronald quickly pulled out a bouquet of red roses from behind him and held it out to her. His voice softened with emotion. "Bella, I liked you first. I've been planning this confession for three months. "You have to pick me. If you agree to be with me, I'd go through anything for you." Watching the two of them kneeling in front of her, Bella felt dazed for a moment. If she hadn't learned the truth, seeing how devoted they looked, she might have actually believed they loved her. They had grown up together. She never expected the two people she thought she knew best to be this talented at acting. Just as she was about to speak, all three of their phones buzzed at the same time. It was a message from Tessa in their group chat. "The lightbulb at home burned out, and I don't know how to change it. What should I do?" A pitiful emoji followed right after. In an instant, both Sebastian's and Ronald's expressions changed. Sebastian forgot all about the confession and shot to his feet. "Tess is home alone. She's probably freaking out since her lightbulb burned out. I should go help her fix it." "I'm going with you!" Ronald jumped up right after him. Then, as if remembering Bella was still there, he added awkwardly, "Bella, it's getting dark soon, and we can't leave Tess waiting. As for who you're choosing, maybe just tell us tomorrow." They didn't spare her another glance before rushing off. Watching them leave, Bella actually found it a little funny. They claimed to have prepared this confession for three months, yet all it took was Tessa saying she couldn't change a lightbulb for them to drop everything. There had been countless signs that they didn't love her, but in her previous life, she had been blinded and never noticed any of it. She lowered her gaze to the roses and gift boxes they left behind. A small smile curled at her lips, but her eyes stayed cold. She picked up the flowers and gifts and tossed them straight into the trash can without a second thought. "Sebastian, Ronald, I'm not choosing either of you this time!" There were still two months before school started, and to avoid the three of them as much as possible, Bella simply blocked all their numbers and went traveling alone for a month. When she finally came home after her trip, she saw two people crouching at her door. It was Sebastian and Ronald. The sound of her luggage being dragged across the ground caught their attention. The moment they saw her, they sprinted toward her like they'd lost their minds and pulled her tightly into their arms. "Where were you this whole month? You wouldn't answer calls or messages. Do you know we've been going crazy looking for you?" The worry in their eyes was real. They both looked like they hadn't slept or taken care of themselves in a long time. Their chins were covered with rough stubble, and their eyes were bloodshot. In this messy state, they looked nothing like the two campus heartthrobs everyone admired. Looking at them, she suddenly remembered something from when she was 13. Her parents had chosen divorce because they were tired of fighting every day. But when it came to deciding who she would live with, they pushed the responsibility back and forth. Neither of them wanted her. In the end, they left her a house and a bank card that would last her until adulthood, then disappeared completely. That night, she didn't cry or make a fuss. But once it got dark, she slipped out of the house alone. Back then, Sebastian and Ronald had panicked the same way, searching for her the entire night until they finally found her by the lake. They had held her just as tightly and said, "Even if your parents left, you still have us. They might not want you, but we do. "We'll always stay with you. Don't ever run off alone again. We'll lose our minds if anything happens to you."